expression

Definition of expressionnext
1
as in voice
an act, process, or means of putting something into words the poem is his expression of his grief upon the loss of his beloved wife

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2
as in look
facial appearance regarded as an indication of mood or feeling we could tell by the fans' expressions that the Chicago Cubs had lost again

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3
as in term
a pronounceable series of letters having a distinct meaning especially in a particular field the expression "John Doe" is used in legal proceedings to refer to a person whose actual name is either unknown or being withheld from the public

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4
as in phrase
a sequence of words having a specific meaning the popular expression "raining cats and dogs" is meaningless in other languages

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Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of expression The whisky is, of course, smoky, a defining characteristic of all the distillery’s expressions. Jonah Flicker, Robb Report, 3 May 2026 Guanipa urged exiles to go beyond expressions of solidarity and become more directly involved in advocacy. Antonio María Delgado, Miami Herald, 2 May 2026 Sean O’Connor Pasadena The Los Angeles Times welcomes expressions of all views. Los Angeles Times, 2 May 2026 For Hitler, the autobahn was a concrete expression of German efficiency and nationalism. Big Think, 1 May 2026 See All Example Sentences for expression
Recent Examples of Synonyms for expression
Noun
  • As the song ticks past the 20-minute mark, Goldie’s voice gets increasingly desperate and the music darkens.
    Ben Cardew, Pitchfork, 2 May 2026
  • Claussen said in a phone interview, her voice trailing off.
    ABC News, ABC News, 2 May 2026
Noun
  • Unlike in their losses in Games 5 and 6, the Celtics weren’t as quick to fire up 3s, instead opting to attack the interior of the 76ers defense more to get easier looks.
    Kyle Hightower, Chicago Tribune, 3 May 2026
  • Chesney and many players got their first look at the Rose Bowl lit up at night during a visit Friday.
    Sean Campbell, Los Angeles Times, 3 May 2026
Noun
  • The painting may be the first appearance in art of the American doctrine of Manifest Destiny, a term coined the year before by the newspaperman and diplomat John O’Sullivan.
    Sebastian Smee, New Yorker, 4 May 2026
  • Giuliani floated the idea of changing the law to run for a third term or serving an extra three months to help with a post-9/11 recovery.
    Los Angeles Times, Los Angeles Times, 4 May 2026
Noun
  • In a larger context, this quintessentially Bengali phrase has come to mean a repast of tea and snacks that encompasses a tradition deeply ingrained in the culture.
    Madhushree Basu Roy, Saveur, 30 Apr. 2026
  • There is a phrase in Japanese that explains it.
    Stephen Wade, Chicago Tribune, 30 Apr. 2026
Noun
  • Japanese sunscreen has always been the best; the lightest formulations, the silkiest textures, and some of the most affordable prices too.
    Anita Bhagwandas, Condé Nast Traveler, 28 Apr. 2026
  • Available in two formulations, original and gentle for skin sensitive to salicylic acid.
    Tory Johnson, ABC News, 28 Apr. 2026
Noun
  • One depicted a man named Kevin Hoagland, who had a friendly smile and a long white beard.
    Jennifer Wilson, New Yorker, 4 May 2026
  • Ralph, with his bright smile and supportive energy, is a more natural fit, and nature takes its course by way of a quick vote.
    Ben Travers, IndieWire, 4 May 2026
Noun
  • At the building’s peak, five-foot-tall concrete letters spell out a hundred and three words of a speech delivered by Obama in Selma, Alabama, in 2015, on the fiftieth anniversary of Bloody Sunday, when John Lewis and other civil-rights activists were beaten at the foot of the Edmund Pettus Bridge.
    Peter Slevin, New Yorker, 4 May 2026
  • The aspiration gap, in other words, is not just a story about young adults falling behind their parents.
    Nick Lichtenberg, Fortune, 3 May 2026
Noun
  • Buildings—a contemporary, fluid interpretation of the Cretan idiom by Pieris.
    Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 23 Apr. 2026
  • Like the idiom, their coffee shop hopes to bring surprising offerings to the coffee scene.
    Jenna Thompson April 22, Kansas City Star, 22 Apr. 2026

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Cite this Entry

“Expression.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/expression. Accessed 7 May. 2026.

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